Textile fabric



Fatented Aug. 17, its? TEXTHIE FRIC William Ale MoncriciL S signers to Celanese a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Applicati No. 611,924. in Great Brit 14 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of textile fabrics and textile yarns" suitable for incorporation therein and is more particularly concerned with the production of fabrics exhibiting crepe effects, especially from highly twisted cellulose ester or ether yarns.

Textile materials exhibiting crepe effects have long been obtained by employing in their con- 7 struction highly twisted yarns of natural silk in the gummed state, the crepe effects appearing more particularly when the fabric is subjected to securing in an aqueous bath. The fabrics obtained by this process have long been highly valued on account of their pleasing appearance and handle. The production of crepe fabrics in an analogous manner by the use of highly twisted yarns of cellulose acetate filaments has however been accompanied by very considerable difiiculties. In many cases it is found that little or no crepe effect is obtained unless a very considerable degree vof twist is imparted to the crepe threads. Further, when this degree of twist is sufficient to lead to the production of crepe ef-. fectscomparable with those obtainable by means of natural silk, it is found that the strength of the resulting fabrics is frequently so low as to v,

render them commercially valueless.

In U. S. application S. No. 523,930 filed 19th March, 1931, we have described an improved method of obtaining crepe fabrics with the aid of highly twisted cellulose acetate yarns. According to that specification the requisite high degree of twist is applied in two or more stages instead of in a single stage, as commonly practised. In this manner considerably improved results may be obtained, particularly as regards the strength of the finished fabrics in the direction of the highly twisted yarns.

We have now found that in utilizing highly twisted cellulose acetate yarns in the manufacture of crepe fabrics'a further great improvement, particularly as regards the strength of the finished fabrics, may be efiected by subjecting the yarn to the action of water vapour before at least part of the crepe twist is applied thereto. For example a cellulose acetate yarn of about 100 denier and containing about filaments may be twisted to 25 to turns per inch or more and then subjected to the action of steam at about -105 0,, i. e. under a pressure below or slightly above that of the atmosphere. The so treated yarn is thereafter twisted to 60-70 turns per inch and utilized as the weft of a fabric, pairs of picks of right-hand twist alternating with pairs of picks of left-hand twist, The fabric may then be xander Dickie and Robert Wighton pondlon, near Derby, England Corporation of America,

on May 1'1, 1932, Seria ain June 4, 1931 scoured and finished, whereupon a'fabric exhibiting excellent crepe effects and of very good properties as regards strength may be obtained. If the treatment with steam is omitted the resulting fabrics may exhibit a serious reduction in strength in the direction of the highly twisted yarns.

In the manufacture of the crepe threads in accordance with our invention, the requisite high degree of twist is thus applied in at least two stages with intermediate treatment of the yarn with water vapour. If desired the twisting may be accomplished in three or more stages, the yarn being treated with water vapour between any or all of the stages. Further, if desired, the yarn may be subjected, in addition, to water vapour treatment before twisting or after the total amount of twist has been applied.

The degree of twist employed in the crepe threads may vary within wide limits and according to the nature of the yarn and of the filaments contained therein. Thus, for instance, a total twist of from 55 to or '70 turns per inch may be employed, though higher twist may be employed if desired, for example a twist of -85 or more turns per inch. Yarn composed of fine filaments is advantageous in that it admits of the use of a very high degree of twist. In this connection reference may be made to U. S. application S. No. 523,931, filed 19th March, 1931.

The total twist may be applied either in equal or in unequal stages. Thus, where twisting is to be effected in two stages, half the twist may be applied in each, or a small or large proportion in j the first stage and in the second stage the corresponding proportion required to give the desired total twist. Thus, for instance, where the total twist is to be 65 turns per inch, the yarn may first be twisted to 10 turns per inch, then steamed, and thereupon an additional 55 turns per inch applied to give the'necessary total twist. Again, if desired 40 turns per inch may first be applied and 25 turns per inch in the second stage. In an analogous manner when three or more stages are employed the twist may be divided between the various stages in any desired manner. As indicated previously, however, in the case of yarn of about denier and containing about 25 filaments very good results may be obtained by applying about 25 turns per inch in the first stage.

If desired any or be irregular in character as application S. No. 538,486, filed 19th May,

all of the twist applied may described in U. S.

In practice, it has been found particularly advantageous to apply in the first place a degree of twist of the order of that necessary to cause a to give rise to crpe effects of the desired character. In the case of 100 denier 26 filament yarn the desired close packing is secured by the application of about turns per inch. It will be appreciated that the exact degree of twist necessary to give the desired close packing of the filaments is dependent in any particular case on the total denier of the yarn and the number of the filaments of which it is composed. Thus for yarns of a given total denier the twist required to effect close packing is greater the smaller the number of filaments. Again, for yarns containing a given number of filaments the desirable first stage twist varies inversely as the diameter of the filaments or the square root of the filament denier. In general for yarns of between 70 and 170 denier and containing from 25 to 70 filaments the degree of twist applied before the wetting operation will be between about 10 and 30 turns per inch.

The twisting of the yarns may be effected in any convenient manner. It has been found advantageous however,- particularly when applying v the second or subsequent stage of twist, to utilize twisting devices of the type in which the yarn is twisted as it is drawn off from a rotating package and to prevent the applied twist running back to the bobbin. This result may very conveniently be attained by means of the device described in U. S. Patent No." 1,784,581.

The crpeefiects obtained appear to be dependent chiefly upon the degree of twist imparted after the steam treatment and are to some extent independent of the degree of twist applied before the steam treatment particularly if the said degree of twist is not much below that required to effect close packing of the filaments. It has in fact been found that the character or extent of the crpe eifects finally obtained in the fabrics may be controlled to some extent by varying the pro-'- portion of twist applied after a steaming treatment. The amount of twist imparted in the final stage or stages following packing of the filaments into a firm thread will thus depend to a certain extent on the denier of the yarns and on the type of crepe eifect to be produced. In general a good figure is obtained on the fabrics by the use of a total twist of 60-65 to inch.

upwards of 85 turns per In the treatment of the yarns in accordance,

with the present invention, the steam may be employed under any desired pressure and at any desired temperature, for example at pressures below or slightly above that of the atmosphere, and at temperatures corresponding to the boiling point of water at those pressures. The steam may be dry, saturated, or wet. Very good results may be obtained for instance by using steam at pressures up to 5 lbs. per square inch below or above atmospheric pressure, though higher pressures, for example 10-20 lbs. per square inch or more, may beused if desired.

The operation of treating the yarns with steam may be carried out in any desired manner. For example, the yarn wound on bobbins may be subjected to the action of steam at the desired temperature and pressure in a closed chamber. Thus the bobbins may be placed in a suitable air-tight chamber and after evacuating the air therefrom steam may beadmitted. In this way very thorough impregnation of theyam by the steam,

which may be used for instance at a pressure of say 3 to 4 lbs. per square inch, is carried out very quickly. Instead however of evacuating the air from the chamber, means may be provided for circulating steam through the same in such a way as to displace the air from the yarn on the bobbins and ensure that every part of the yarn is. effectively subjected to the action of steam. The first mentioned method is in general to be preferred however as by this process the operation is very quickly efiected and there is little risk of difierent parts of the yarn on the bobbins or other packages being subjected to different periods of steaming or steaming under different conditions.

In order to facilitate the steam treatment, the yarn may be wound on perforated bobbins or the like in order to aid the passageof the steam into the mass of yarn. Further, in the case of such bobbins the latter may be mounted on suitable perforated tubes or the like in order that steam may be blown or sucked through the yarn packages under suitable pressure from the interior to the outside or vice versa. The yarn packagesmay of course be wound in such a manner as to facilitate the passage of steam, e. g. they may be cross wound.

Instead of eifecting the steaming or like treatment of the yarn while wound on to bobbins or in other package form, the yarns may be treated while travelling, for example in the course of a winding operation and particularly in the course of one of the twisting operationsjutilized to apply the requisite twist to the yarns; Thus, for in stance, a yarn may be twisted in a machine" of the type in which twist is applied as the yarn is drawn off from a bobbin or like package, the yarn being subjected to the action of a jet of steam as it passes to the winding device. Conveniently tl'ie yarn may be passed through a suitable chamber which may for instance take the form of a tube supplied with steam of the desired temperature. If desiredthe steam may be applied to the yarn at the point at which the twist is actually applied. For this purpose, in the case of using a twisting machine of the aforementioned character the thread guide immediately above the bobbin from which the yarn is drawn off may be mounted at the point of entry of the yarn into the tube or like chamber in which the steam is applied, or the thread guide may actually be within the said tube or like chamber. Preferably the steam is applied only in the minimum quantity necessary to secure the desired effect on the yarn in order that escape of steam and the consequent likelihood of troubles arising from the rusting of machinery and the like maybe avoided as far as possible. j

If desired hygroscopic or deliquescent substances or wetting agents i. e. agents facilitating the Wetting of solids by water, may be applied to or incorporated in the yarns prior to a twisting operation or a steaming or like treatment with water vapor. As examples of such wetting agents may be mentioned soaps of organic or inorganic baseswith higher fatty acids, for example alkali metaL'ammonium or ethanolamine soaps, sulphonatedroils, suiphonic acids of alkyl naphtha lenes for example butyi naphthalene sulphonicand basic derivatives of the higher fattv acids. for

I a 8,089,948 instance oleyl derivatives of aliphatic diamines" or other higher fatty acid derivatives of this character.

Such hygroscopic or deliquescent substances or wetting agents may be applied to the yarns, or if desired may be incorporated in spinning solutions from which the yarns are prepared. For example, cellulose acetate solutions containing hygroscopic substances, for instance sodium or potassium acetate or calcium or magnesium chloride or nitrite may be spun into filaments and the latter formed into yarns and treated in accordance with the invention.

After the operation of steaming or the like the yarn may be allowed to stand for a time. Further twist may be applied to the yarn directly or after subiecting the yarn to a drying operation in order to remove apart or the whole of any moisture'content. The proportion of moisture remaining prior to the further twisting operation or operations may be adjusted to that most favourable to the production of the yarn giving movement during twisting.

good crepe fabrics. The aforementioned drying of the yarn, where desired or requisite,-may be effected in any convenient manner. For example, the yarn may be passed over heated drums or through another suitable dfying device after treatment but prior to rewinding, or it may be subjected to diminished pressure, e. g. on bobbins or theJike.

Cellulose acetate yarns to which a high degree of twist has been applied in the manner described, may be incorporated into fabrics and the latter subjected to a scouring operation or like aqueous treatment. f

It appears possible that the improved results obtainable in accordance with the new process are to be attributed to the application of at least partof the high twist to a yarn of more or less firm character in which the filaments are bedded firmly together, tend to retain their relative positions, and are not subject to substantial relative Such a yarn, in which the filaments may be described as being set, when further twisted appears to twist substantially as a whole, the applied twist causing the yarn to assume a spiral form. Further it may be that the treatment with water vapour serves to soften the material of the filaments to some ex- I tent and so remove strain therefrom and permit the production of a yarn of the foregoing character. We have indeed found that the water vapour may be replaced wholly or in part by other vapours especially of substances having a softening action, particularly a very mild softening action on the material of the filaments. The

vapours may be applied at temperatures in the neighbourhood of the boiling'point of the particular substance or at lower or higher temperatures. As'examples of such substances mention may be made of alcohols, for example ethyl or methyl alcohol, halogenated hydrocarbons, for example ethylene dichloride or carbon tetrachloride, esters for instance ethyl acetate, or mixtures of the foregoing substances with one another or with other substances. The substances should preferably nothowever be of such character or applied under such conditions as would cause solution or even any very material softening of the substance of the filaments.

Again, we have found that instead of using water or other substance invapour form the water or other substance may be applied in the form of a fine spray. Thus for instance instead of applying steam to the yarn,

for example during or immediately following a twisting operation, a very fine spray of water, which may be heated, may be applied to the yarn. As in the case of steam or other vapours such spray of water or other softening liquid may be applied in restricted quantity so as to avoid as far as possible any rusting of the machinery. The spray may for instance be applied in a closed chamber, for example a chamber of tubular form through which-the yarn is passed. The apparatus previously referred to as suitable for use in applying steam may be employed if desired.

Whatever the character of the treatment applied, hereinafter referred to as a conditioning treatment, it should be such as will facilitate the bedding together of the filaments of the partially twisted yarn, and the production of a firm yarn adapted to receive the remaining portion of the high degree of twist.

, In addition to the treatment with steam or other vapour or a spray of water or other liquid, the yarn may be subjected to any other desired treatment designed to enhance the crepe effects ultimately obtainable. For example the yarn may be wetted, in the mannerdescribed in application Ser. No. 611,922 filed on even date herewith prior or subsequent to steaming, or again where twisting is accomplished in more than two stagesthe yarn may be wetted between some pairs of consecutive twisting stages and steamed .or the like in between other pairs of consecutive twisting stages.

The 'crpe threads employed in accordance with the present invention may if desired be sized at any suitable stage of their manufacture, for example prior to the application of any substantial degree of twist. In this connection particular mention may be made of sizing materials selected in accordance with the principles laid down in U. S. application S. No. 491,070 filed 24th October, 1930. Again, the crpe threads or the filaments contained therein may be sized with or provided with a coating of a cellulose or a cellulose derivative as described in U. S. Pat. No. 1,993,992, or with a coating of a polymerized vinyl compound or other. polymerized or condensed organic compound, for example a synthetic resin, as described in U. S. application S.

No. 514,898, filed 10th February,'1931. Such sizes or coatings may be applied intermittently to. the yarns, as described in U. S. application .5. No. 559,210, filed 25th August, 1931 and Pat.

If desired lubricants may be applied to the yarns which are to receive the high degree of twist, especially while the yarns have no twist or at any rate only a low degree of twist. Such lubricant,-for example, olive oil or castor 'oil or oleic acid, assists the filaments-to slide easily over each other so that they may more readily take up their proper position in the yarn. particularly during the early stages of twisting, prior and up to the point at which close packing is reached. Such lubricant may be permitted to remain in the yarns throughout the twisting, when it may be removed after incorporation of the yarns in fabrics, or removal of the lubricant may be effected before the final amount of twist is applied. a

Fabrics containing highly twisted yarns prepared in accordance with the invention may if desired be subjected to -a treatment adapted to swell the material of the filaments of the said yarns. Such swelling treatment may be effected for instance in the manner described in U. 8. applications S. No. 527,358 filed 2nd April, 1931 and U. S. Pat No. 1,995,296. If desired the agent employed in the aforementioned conditioning treatment of the yarn during the twisting operation may be one capable of swelling the material of the filaments in the presence of water. As an example of such an agent ethyl alcoholmay be mentioned. In such cases swelling of the material may thus be effected during the aqueous treatment, which is in general applied to the fabrics containing the highly twisted crepe threads. I

As stated previously the invention is of particular value in connection with the production of crepe fabrics with theaid of highly twisted yarns consisting of cellulose acetate filaments. Crpe threads comprising filaments of other organic derivatives of cellulose may be employed in an analogous manner.

cellulose esters or ethers and filaments of natu ral silk or regenerated cellulose artificial silk, or threads containing cellulose ester or ether'filaments of two or more different deniers, or threads containing filaments of one cellulose derivative e. a. an ester in admixture with filaments of another cellulose derivative e. g. an ester of different ester content or an ether. Further the crepe yarns may consist, wholly or in part, of staple fibre, i. e. relatively short lengths of filaments.

The highly twisted crepe threads may be incorporated in the fabrics in any suitable manner, for example the weft alone may be wholly or partially composed of such threads or the warp may also contain them. In the former case the finished fabrics exhibit the greater shrinkage in the direction of the weft. It is found particularly convenient however, in general, to employ threads of relatively low twist in the warp and to employ in the weft bothcrpe threads having a left-hand twist and crepe threads having a right-hand twist. Such threads may be disposed :in the fabrics in any convenient manner, for example pairs of threads of left-hand twist may alternate with pairs of threads of right-hand twist. A further method of constructing the. fabrics is to weave composite crepe threads consisting of a yarn of high twist doubled with a yarn of low twist, or consisting of two yarns of highbut opposite direction of twist, the yarns being prepared and the fabrics subsequently treated ,in accordance with the processes of the invention. In this manner crepe fabrics may be readily produced without the necessity for the employment of a looom capable of weaving two different types of yarn such as is necessary when alternate picks of yarn of left-handed twist and yarn of righthanded twist are to be woven. In this connection reference is made to U. S. application S. No. 444,619, filed th April, 1930 and U. S. application S. No. 589,304, filed 27th January, 1932.

Where the fabrics comprise yarns of low twist,

As examples of suchv cellulose derivatives may be mentioned cellulose the latter may be either of the same material or of a different material from that of the highly twisted crpethreads. For example, where the crpe threads are composed of cellulose acetate filaments, the said yarns of low twist may be composed of cotton or of a regenerated cellulose type of artificial silk.

In the case of fabrics containing low twist yarns as well as the highly twisted crepe threads, such yarns, particularly when forming the warp of the material, will usually be sized. In this event it has been found'beneficial to employ sizes which are easily removed or at least easily softened by the scouring or like treatment subsequently applied to the fabrics .after weaving. Indeed, if desired the said treatments'inay be modified, for example in respect of temperature or other conditions, or a special treatment may be applied, for the purpose of softening or removing the size on the yarn of low twist. Preferably the size on the said low twist yarn should be more easily softened or removed than any size which may have been applied to the highly twisted crepe threads in the fabrics. Again, when utilizing yarns of low twist in conjunction with the crpe threads of high twist, the said low twist yarns may be of such character or be so treated as to be less readily wetted than the crepe threads. For instance they may be oiled with an animal, vegetable, or mineral oil prior to incorporation in the fabrics.

the following example:-

Emample Cellulose acetate yarn of 100 denier and containing 26 filaments possessing say 2-5 turns per inch of twist is twisted up to 26 turns per inch after the yarn is twisted up to 70 turns per inch with the aid of the device described in U. S. Patent No. 1,784,581. Yarn of right-hand as well as yarn of left-hand twist is prepared. The prepared yarn is then woven into a warp of cellulose acetate yarn of low twist, two picks of left hand twist yarn alternating with two picks of right hand twist, the resulting fabric being then treated first in water at 30 C. for 15 to 30 minutes and thereafter in a three grams perlitre soap solution for 1-1 hours, the temperature being raised from 30 to 80 C. The fabric is finally washed oil, hydroextracted and dried without tension.

Fabrics may similarly be produced from cellulose acetate yarns of other deniers and containing-different numbers of filaments, the degree of twist applied in the two stages being adjusted according to the particular yarn.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:--

1. Process'for the production of threads hav- 7 ing a crepe twist from textile threads which comprises applying a part only of the crepe twist,

said part amounting to at least 10 turns per inch, subjecting the thread to the action of a hot vapor and thereafter applying the remainder of the requisite crepe twist. 1

2. Process for the production of threads having a crepe twist from textile threads which comprises applying a part only of the crpe twist, said part amounting to at least 10 turns per inch, subjecting the thread to the action of steam and thereafter applying the remainder of the requisite crepe twist. j

2,o;s o,94s

filaments of the thread, subjecting the threads comprises applying a part only of the crepe twist,

said part amounting to at least turns per inch, subjecting the thread to the action of steam and thereafter applying the remainder of the requisite crpe twist. I r

4. Process for the production of threads hav- 10 ing a crpetwist from textile threads containing filaments of organic derivatives of cellulose which comprises applying to the threads a part only of the crepe twist, said part amounting to at least 10 turns per inch, subjecting the threads to the action of steam and thereafter applying the remainder'of the requisite crepe twist.

5. Process for the production of threads having a crepe twist from textile threads containing filaments of organic derivatives of cellulose which comprises applying a part only of the crepe twist,

said part being sufiicientto efiect the close packing of the filaments of the thread, subjecting the threads to the action of steam and thereafter applying the remainder of the requisite crepe twist.

6. Process for the production of threads hav-' ing a crp'e twist from textile threads containing filaments of organic derivatives of cellulose which comprises applyingto the threads a part only of the crepe twist, said part amounting to at least 10 turns per inch, subjecting the threads to the action of steam and thereafter ap gying the remainder of the requisite crepe twist in a single stage.

7. Process for the production of threads having a crepe twist from textile threads containing filaments of cellulose acetate which comprises applying a part only of the crepe twist, said part amounting to at least 10 turns per inch, subjecting the threads to the action of a hot vapor and 40 thereafter applying the remainder of the requisite crepe twist.

8. Process for the production of threads having a crepe twist from textile threads containing filaments of cellulose acetate which comprises applying to the threads a part only of the crepe twist, said part amounting to at least 10 turns per inch, subjecting the threads to the action of steam and thereafter applying the remainder of the requisite high twist. 9. Process for the production of threads having a crpe' twist from textile threads containing filaments oi. cellulose acetate which comprises applying a part only 0'. the crepe twist, said part being sumcient to effect the close packing of the to the action of steam and thereafter applying the remainder of the requisite crepe twist.

10. Process for the production of threads having a crepe twist from textile threads containing filaments of cellulose acetate which comprises applying to the threads a part only of the crepe twist, said part amounting to at least 10 turns per inch, subjecting the threads to the action of steam and thereafter applying the remainder of the requisite crepe twist in a single stage.

11. Process for the production of threads having a crp'e twist from textile threads containing filaments of cellulose acetate, which comprises applying to the threads a part only of the crpe twist, said part amounting to at least 10 turns per inch, steaming the threads at 0-5 lbs. pressure above that of the atmosphere and thereafter applying the remainder of the'requisite crepe twist. v 7

12. Process .for the production of threads having a crepe twist from cellulose acetate threads of from -170 denier and containing 25-70 filaments which comprises twisting the threads to between 10 and 30 turns per inch, subjecting the threads to the action of steam and thereafter applying the remainder of the requisite crepe twist.

13. Process for the production of threads having a crepe twist from textile threads containing filaments of organic derivatives of cellulose which comprises applying a part only of the crepe twist to the thread, said part amounting to at least 10 turns per inch, steaming the thread, forming the thread into a package, and then applying the remainder of the crepe twist by rotating said package and drawing the thread off over the end of the rotating package while preventing twist from running back to the package.

14. Process forthe production of threads having a crepe twist from textile threads containing filaments of cellulose acetate which comprises applying a' part only of the crepe twist to the thread, said part amounting to at least 10 turns 'per inch, steaming the thread, forming the thread into a package, and then applying the reof the rotating package while preventing twistfrom running back to the package. 

